Not to have diabetes, of course, but to have lived inNew York City and to be able to dress up like a model every day. My father lets me dress like a model, too — a model of a six-year-old. I have to wear my hair in braids (that's a rule), and he has to approve my outfit every day, which is sort of silly since he buys all my clothes. And what he buys are corduroy skirts and plain sweaters and blouses and penny loafers.

Just once, I'd like to go to school wearing skintight turquoise pants, Stacey's "island" shirt with the flamingos and toucans all over it, and maybe bright red, high-top sneakers. I'd like to create a sensation. (Well, half of me would. The other half would be too shy to want to attract any attention.)

Stacey often creates a sensation.

So does Claudia. Although she's not quite as sophisticated as Stacey (you can't top having lived inNew York ), she's pretty glamorous herself. Her black hair is long and silky, and she does something different with it almost every day. Sometimes she wears it in lots of skinny braids, sometimes she twists it on top

of her head. At the moment, she was wearing it loose, but had pulled the sides back with big yellow clips shaped like flowers.

Luckily, Kristy dresses more like me than like Claudia and Stacey. It's nice to have someone to feel babyish with. Mrs. Thomas doesn't put any dressing restrictions on Kristy; it's just that Kristy doesn't care much about her appearance. Her brown hair is usually sort of messy, and she wears clothes only because it's against the law to go to school naked.

"What's going on?" asked Stacey.

"One call so far," replied Kristy. "My mom needs someone for David Michael on Thursday afternoon."

I opened our record book. The Baby-sitters Club keeps two books: the record book and a notebook. The record book is just what it sounds like — a book in which we keep our club records. Not only does it have our babysitting appointments, it has the addresses and phone numbers of our clients, and records of things like what rates our clients pay, how much each of us earns at each job, and which of us has paid our club dues. Stacey keeps track of anything to do with money and numbers.